Hearst Castle, Castle in San Simeon, California, United States
Hearst Castle is a Mediterranean-style estate on a hilltop in San Simeon, California, spanning 127 acres with a twin-towered main building, three guest houses, gardens, fountains, and outdoor pools. The complex sits at an elevation of roughly 1,600 feet (488 meters) above the Pacific Ocean, offering views of the California coastline.
Construction of this estate began in 1919 when newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst commissioned architect Julia Morgan to design his private residence. Work continued for nearly three decades, finally stopping after Hearst's financial decline in the late 1940s.
Hearst called himself the "Great Accumulator" and bought over thirty European ceilings, doorcases, fireplaces and mantels, entire monasteries and a medieval tithe barn, shipping them from Brooklyn warehouses to California. Guests at his formal dinners included Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant and Calvin Coolidge, while Orson Welles satirized the estate in Citizen Kane.
Visitors choose from several guided tours that cover different areas of the estate and require reservations. Tours involve walking paths and stairs, so comfortable footwear is recommended, and duration varies depending on the tour selected.
The Neptune Pool holds roughly 345,000 gallons (1.3 million liters) of water and features facades from ancient Roman temples, Vermont marble, and sculptures from Greece. Hearst had the pool rebuilt three times before he was satisfied with the final appearance.
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